This is a blog by a former CEO of a large Boston hospital to share thoughts about hospitals, medicine, and health care issues.

Thursday, May 31, 2007

"I know that finger"

A true story, from just a few weeks ago. David was an ice hockey player in his boyhood days. He is accompanying a friend to the emergency room after the latter has dramatically injured his hand. The hand surgeon comes in to take care of the friend, but pauses to shake hands with David. Never making eye contact, the surgeon does not let go of David's hand, but instead brings it up towards his face and says, "I know that finger. I fixed it in 1976 after it was sliced by an ice skate."